Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lord_karsus Jan 20, 2009 10:05:07	Plague of Spells Bruce Cordell Book I, The Abolethic Sovereignty -After a week of not knowing the book was out, then another week putting it off thinking I might get it as a gift for Christmas/Hanukkah, and then another week putting it off, as it has been on-and-off snowy, and I don’t have a car anymore, and then another week putting it off being sick, I finally got Plague of Spells. It was a pretty random occurrence. Me and Rin needed to kill some time before seeing Slumdog Millionaire (An excellent movie, by the way. I recommend it to everyone. It will certainly be influencing “Crazy” Ali), so after getting some candy, and then dinner, and then beauty supplies (can you make something that is already perfect even better?), we stopped off at the bookstore. As many of you know, I’ve been waiting for this book. I finished it within the day, and collected my thoughts to write this review. So, without further ado… -I usually start these talking about the characters. In Bruce Cordell’s past books, the characters were the bright spots for me. Be it Kiril Duskmorn, or Raidon Kane, Guge the thief, or even Guggari, I’ve always felt that Bruce’s best asset was his ability to make interesting characters (Think Raidon Kane), or characters who become interesting because of circumstances thrust upon them (Think Kiril and Angul). At parts, I felt that Plague of Spells had interesting and compelling characters. The Lord of Bats was a very interesting Fey entity. Japheth the Warlock was not. It’s good to see that Cloak from Cloak and Dagger has a kindred soul in Realmspace, though. Nogah the Kuo-Toa was interesting. Anusha was not. The “deal breaker” was Raidon Kane. As others know, I like the character. He’s a Half Star Elf Half Shou Monk. That appeals to nearly every single one of my sensibilities. Sadly, though, Plague of Spells made me like the character less. -This is somewhat related to characters, but…Has anyone noticed a growing trend in Forgotten Realms novels, as of late. Think of this: The Twilight War trilogy has a Kraken. The Abolethic Sovereignty trilogy has a Kraken. The Twilight War trilogy has a drug-addict character. The Abolethic Sovereignty trilogy has a drug-addict character. -Concerning the plot, the iffy part, I will say that, at times, I was interested, while at others, I wasn’t. It’s unfortunate that, through much of the book, there are more or less two groups: A group consisting of characters that I didn’t care for really, and a group consisting of characters that I cared for somewhat. If I said that, when the action focused on the characters I didn’t really care for, I skipped ahead, I’d be lying. But, it wouldn’t be lying if I said that, in those parts, I just trudged on, in the hopes that the limelight shifted to characters that I did like. -There are a couple of random, miscellaneous points that I’ll bring up now, while doing my review. Firstly (but this is a minor point), Bruce writes that Elminster was a famous character, on page thirty-five. That he was an individual of “common knowledge”. As we know, this isn’t true. He isn’t a famous celebrity. With lead authors and designers including information like this, though, it’s pretty apparent while others who aren’t as knowledgeable in the setting as many of us here are think that this is the case. Another random point: Spellscars, apparently, can do anything. We have some Spellscarred individuals being the bane of aberrations, we have some Spellscarred individuals gaining super strength (and then dying), we have Spellscarred individuals turning trees into “super trees” and rocks into “super rocks”, we have Spellscarred individuals turning into phantasm-like specters while dreaming…Spellscars do everything, apparently. -Those of you who know me, you know that I wanted to like the book. The rating that I am giving it isn’t because it’s a Bruce Cordell novel, or because it’s a novel that takes place in a Forgotten Realms that I don’t consider as actually happening in my Forgotten Realms, or because it has aberrations, or whatever else. I am rating this novel based only on how I think of it as a novel, plain and simple. I will end this on a note that Bruce Cordell himself penned into his novel. According to page thirty-five, and I quote, “History lessons were hard. It was all so dry and…pointless! Everything before the blue fire was irrelevant to how things were today”. In other words, having read the books, it didn’t feel like the Forgotten Realms. It felt like some other generic fantasy setting. -Out of a possible Five Beholders, I give Plague of Spells Two Beholders and a Chicken. -Actually, you know what? This is Plague of Spells and Bruce Cordell we are talking about here. I give Plague of Spells two Cthulus and a Chicken.
#2 uzzy Jan 20, 2009 10:23:24	Good review LK. I must say, that is a very interesting quote there. Rather sums up well Cordell's view on the Realms, I think.
#3 Aegeri Jan 20, 2009 10:26:37	Good review, from what I've read of the book the descriptions of spellscarred creatures remind me a bit of some of the absurd things characters with spellfire do (that always irritated me). It's one of the reasons despite my curiosity in new novels, I wouldn't actually read them when they're doing things like making super rocks or whatever. Bah. I did have to pick this out though: Firstly (but this is a minor point), Bruce writes that Elminster was a famous character, on page thirty-five. That he was an individual of “common knowledge”. As we know, this isn’t true. Given what he's done and such forth, I wouldn't at all be surprised if knowledge of him is common within regions of Faerun. With lead authors and designers including information like this, though, it’s pretty apparent while others who aren’t as knowledgeable in the setting as many of us here are think that this is the case. Are you claiming that lead authors and designers of the actual setting, with the access to the source materials they have aren't knowledgeable?
#4 lord_karsus Jan 20, 2009 10:36:44	Good review, from what I've read of the book the descriptions of spellscarred creatures remind me a bit of some of the absurd things characters with spellfire do (that always irritated me). It's one of the reasons despite my curiosity in new novels, I wouldn't actually read them when they're doing things like making super rocks or whatever. Bah. -I haven't read any of the Spellfire novels. At first, it was simply because I never saw them in bookstores. I periodically see them, now, but I have grown leery due to what others say about them. I don't think I'd buy them. There is the possibility, but I don't really believe so. Given what he's done and such forth, I wouldn't at all be surprised if knowledge of him is common within regions of Faerun. -He isn't, however. Ed Greenwood has stated, various times, that Elminster isn't a "folk hero" or anything to that effect. We see him and the extent of what he does, but most people in Faerûn do not. To most (and, this most extends primarily to the Dalelands/North region), Elminster is a batty old sage. His affiliation with the Harpers, his status as Chosen of Mystra, and plenty of other things are not common knowledge. Are you claiming that lead authors and designers of the actual setting, with the access to the source materials they have aren't knowledgeable? -In this case, concerning Bruce Cordell and what he wrote about Elminster, yes, yes I am.
#5 Aegeri Jan 20, 2009 10:49:02	-I haven't read any of the Spellfire novels. At first, it was simply because I never saw them in bookstores. I periodically see them, now, but I have grown leery due to what others say about them. I don't think I'd buy them. There is the possibility, but I don't really believe so. I would not wish the novel Spellfire on my worst enemy. It was the last novel I ever read in the realms and for good reason. -He isn't, however. Ed Greenwood has stated, various times, that Elminster isn't a "folk hero" or anything to that effect. We see him and the extent of what he does, but most people in Faerûn do not. To most (and, this most extends primarily to the Dalelands/North region), Elminster is a batty old sage. His affiliation with the Harpers, his status as Chosen of Mystra, and plenty of other things are not common knowledge. Personally, I find that interpretation hard to believe given everything that I have read about the realms, what other authors state about him in their books (as you mentioned - I did read FR novels once upon a time) and the general assumptions of the designers. While I can see Eds point of view, there is a point where Elminster has just been involved in so many things within that region he would be logically pretty well known from my point of view. That many other authors and designers seem to agree, disagreeing with Ed despite ostensibly having the same information present doesn't mean they aren't "knowledgeable" IMO. It simply means I don't think they accept his explanation logically (and neither do I). This is assuming you're referring to the questions asked to Ed. Greenwood at Candlekeep and not somewhere else that I may not have seen.
#6 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Jan 20, 2009 11:04:14	(can you make something that is already perfect even better?) :D -There are a couple of random, miscellaneous points that I’ll bring up now, while doing my review. Firstly (but this is a minor point), Bruce writes that Elminster was a famous character, on page thirty-five. That he was an individual of “common knowledge”. As we know, this isn’t true. He isn’t a famous celebrity. With lead authors and designers including information like this, though, it’s pretty apparent while others who aren’t as knowledgeable in the setting as many of us here are think that this is the case. Definitely--I'd say it's very apparent. People forget that player knowledge isn't supposed to be character knowledge. I'll take what Ed Greenwood has to say about Elminster over what Bruce Cordell says about him. I will end this on a note that Bruce Cordell himself penned into his novel. According to page thirty-five, and I quote, “History lessons were hard. It was all so dry and…pointless! Everything before the blue fire was irrelevant to how things were today”. In other words, having read the books, it didn’t feel like the Forgotten Realms. It felt like some other generic fantasy setting. And as I mentioned to you in person, that quote about sums up a major beef I have with the 4E Realms, and explains why I have little to no interest in reading the post-Spellplague novels.
#7 lord_karsus Jan 21, 2009 22:00:16	-Because JD brought it up and reminded me, here is one more point in favor of Plague of Spells: Show The ridiculous Cynosure "dies".
#8 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Jan 22, 2009 8:59:04	-Because JD brought it up and reminded me, here is one more point in favor of Plague of Spells: Show The ridiculous Cynosure "dies".
#9 suin_bahhar_02 Jan 22, 2009 9:12:59	Good review. Didn't Elminster pen down several famous works for the common good in the realms? His travels and understanding make him an excellant tourguide (see Elminsters Ecologies) and I can't imagine he wouldn't have spread those paperworks (and his knowledge and fame) around. The realms have no bookprinting (yet) though so this method can't explain every mention of him being so famous. Yet I find it's unfair to burn a designer as being unknowledgable solely on the fame of the realms most iconic character.
#10 lord_karsus Jan 22, 2009 10:32:30	Yay! -That's how I felt. Didn't Elminster pen down several famous works for the common good in the realms? His travels and understanding make him an excellant tourguide (see Elminsters Ecologies) and I can't imagine he wouldn't have spread those paperworks (and his knowledge and fame) around. The realms have no bookprinting (yet) though so this method can't explain every mention of him being so famous. Yet I find it's unfair to burn a designer as being unknowledgable solely on the fame of the realms most iconic character. -In certain regions, Elminster is active with either Harper stuff, or Mystra stuff, or sometimes even personal stuff. Of the three, the first two are (99.9% of the time) of the utmost secrecy. That leaves personal stuff.
#11 merrikcale Jan 22, 2009 10:54:30	[ Me and Rin needed to kill some time before seeing Slumdog Millionaire (An excellent movie, by the way. I recommend it to everyone. It will certainly be influencing “Crazy” Ali), so after getting some candy, and then dinner, and then beauty supplies (can you make something that is already perfect even better?), what kind of beauty supplies do you use?
#12 dave_saunders_dup Jan 24, 2009 18:20:26	I read this one and I liked it. What otjer books have these characters?
#13 rauric Jan 24, 2009 19:37:32	I think Darkvision has a few of them. I like Aberrations so I need to pick this up eventually. The Night Parade was one of my favorite FR novels and has that very aberrant, creepy feel to it. I hope this does also.
#14 lord_karsus Jan 24, 2009 20:31:04	what kind of beauty supplies do you use? -Oh, you know. The usual kind of stuff. All kinds of beauty creams, scrubs, butters, spreads... I read this one and I liked it. What otjer books have these characters? Lady of Poison Darkvision Stardeep Plague of Spells The Night Parade was one of my favorite FR novels and has that very aberrant, creepy feel to it. I hope this does also. -Not really. The most "aberrant" thing that is featured in the novel is some kind of Show Ghoul, that apparently has a mouth on it's stomach, as well as on it's head
#15 merrikcale Jan 24, 2009 21:17:58	butter spreads, yum